TOP NEWS

📈 InfoJobs' Winter Professions Observatory 2024 reports an 8.4% increase in winter job market offerings, with 16,000 positions between October-December, up from 14,660 in 2023. Tourism and catering lead the growth by 20%, rising from 2,269 to over 2,700 job opportunities. Retail also rises by 6.4%, from 12,391 to 13,179 jobs. Notably, November's tourism and catering sector jumped by 26%, and the most sought-after roles include waiters, tourist entertainers, and bartenders. (Source: InfoJobs.it)

🏢 "Hospitality – Il Salone dell’Accoglienza" will take place at Riva del Garda from February 3 to 6, 2025, featuring over 800 companies across 4 thematic areas and 3 special sections. The event includes H EXPERIENCE with immersive experiences and the H Academy offers educational events. Competitions like "Horeca Social Stars" and "Best Wine Hospitality Manager" will be held, along with a masterclass by pizzaiolo Diego Vitagliano on February 4.

🏡 Italian commercial real estate experienced a boost with investments reaching €9.9 billion in 2024, marking a 47% increase from the previous year. Hospitality took second place with €2.1 billion, a 36% increase from 2023, including €650 million in Q4 alone. The retail segment led with €2.9 billion. Office investments hit €1.9 billion, followed by industrial & logistics with €1.6 billion, living spaces with €715 million, and alternative assets with €440 million. CBRE highlights the investment growth due to increased investor confidence, especially in leisure markets and major cities of art.

🏕 European tourism marked a record year in 2024 with 2.99 billion overnight stays according to Eurostat, a 2% increase over 2023. Luxembourg led with a 22% surge, followed by Malta (13%) and Latvia (7%), while Belgium and France saw a marginal drop of 1%. Italy, Sweden, and Finland remained stable. International visitors contributed an additional 58.7 million overnight stays, whereas domestic tourism declined by 5.3 million. Hotels dominated accommodation preferences, accounting for 63% (1.9 billion stays), followed by holiday homes at 24% (711 million stays), and campsites at 13% (396 million stays).

🌊 Lombardia, Veneto, and Trentino launch 'Garda Unico', a project to promote Lake Garda with a unified identity. The initiative, receiving an initial investment of €900,000 with €300,000 from Lombardia, aims to enhance global tourism, emphasize sustainable mobility, and develop an integrated digital ecosystem. With over 27 million visitors, the project, championed by Tourism Councilor Barbara Mazzali, will strategize concrete actions and events by the end of January.

🏢 Egnazia Ospitalità Italiana, managed by Aldo Melpignano, is holding two Recruiting Days to select professionals for its five existing and upcoming 2025 venues. The in-person event is on February 5 at Borgo Egnazia (BR), with a virtual session on February 7. Open positions range from operational to strategic roles with requirements like guest orientation, communication skills, teamwork, curiosity, and quality focus. Candidates must apply by January 26 at 18:00 through a provided form.

📌 Icon Collection announced the "People" project, an initiative to enhance staff personal and professional development through personalized learning programs called TIL. Icon Collection scheduled recruiting days on January 31, February 17, February 7, February 26, and February 21, 2025, at various locations including Park Hotel Marinetta, The Sense Experience Resort, and Hotel Botticelli. Sessions are at 10:00, 12:00, 14:30, and 15:30. Positions offered range from maintenance staff to receptionists. Applications can be submitted via hotel websites or Icon Collection's careers section. CEO Federico Ficcanterri emphasizes respect and talent discovery for future challenges.

🎭 During Milan Fashion Week, Axy Hotel InnStyle Milano hosted Alessia Dionisi and Fornace77's artistic project on Aracne. Muraless Art Hotel in Verona featured artist Melkio and robot Alter Ego 3 in collaboration with the Italian Institute of Technology last October. Grand Hotel Bristol, collaborating with Nuar Gallery, offers art events throughout the summer season in Rapallo, attracting guests and tourists to the Portofino Coast.

🏂 High-luxury in Cortina reports a 92.7% occupancy rate, a 20.5% increase from 2023. The sector hit full capacity between December 28 and January 2, and maintained 85% occupancy around Epiphany. Foreign arrivals grew by 8%, influencing the high-luxury performance. Stefano Pirro, president of Cortina's hotel association, noted basic segments nearly reached sold-out status over New Year's due to Italian regulars. The World Cup Ski weekend is approaching a sold-out status with 91% bookings, up 6% from 2024.

🏖️ The Italian Ministry of Tourism announced participation in DEPLOYTOUR, funded by the European Commission, beginning October 2024 for three years. The project aims to create a unified European tourism data space, promoting sector digitalization and sustainability. A high-level event will be hosted in Brussels in 2025 to showcase the project's progress and facilitate dialogue among European tourism stakeholders. ????